Chris Pratt recently sent a photo of himself wearing a Batman mask to James Gunn, co-head of DC Studios, humorously pitching himself as the next actor to play the Caped Crusader. This lighthearted exchange took place amid Gunn’s revamp of the DC Universe, which includes casting a new Batman for the upcoming film The Brave and the Bold.
Pratt, best known for starring as Peter Quill (Star-Lord) in Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, spoke about this on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. He explained that the Batman image was created in Photoshop and sent as a joke. Gunn responded simply with a laugh.
“I sent a picture of myself with a Batman mask on to James. I did it in Photoshop and he just said, ‘Haha,’”
Pratt shared with a chuckle.
“It’s safe to say I am not going to be Batman.”
Pratt Reflects on the Challenges of Taking on Batman
Pratt acknowledged the difficulty of stepping into a role that has already been portrayed by many acclaimed actors, such as Christian Bale, Ben Affleck, and Michael Keaton. He noted the challenge of offering a fresh take on such an iconic character.
“There have been so many Batmans, like what do you do?”
Pratt asked.
“I don’t think I would be right for that, and I don’t know how to play that… I think you have to completely find a brand new way to reinvent [the character].”
He contrasted this with his experience as Star-Lord.
“One beautiful thing we had going for us with Guardians of the Galaxy was [that] I was the first iteration of that character on screen. [With Batman,] you’re always going to be compared against the people who have played the character before and so eventually it becomes almost too hackneyed to be able to make. That’s a tough gig for anybody to get.”
Future Prospects for Pratt as Star-Lord and Collaboration with Marvel
Pratt last appeared as Star-Lord in 2023’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, with plans for his return still uncertain regarding upcoming projects such as Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars. Although he has not revealed specific details about his future appearances, Pratt mentioned that he shared a detailed vision for his character’s storyline with Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige.
“I’m down to contribute any way I can to them setting up the next 10 years of storytelling, you know? And also, I have a pretty strong idea of how I think I could contribute to that,”
Pratt said.
This ongoing involvement suggests Pratt’s commitment to collaborating on the long-term direction of Star-Lord within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, even as he humorously distances himself from taking on Batman’s mantle in the DC world.
